Hatch cover fastener



June 25, 1940. w, M, DWYER I 2,205,556

HATCH COVER FASTENER Filed Feb. 13, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ngz 'Ira/enfuiAVillz'av/z Mba/yer' @www June 25, 1940. w- M, DWYER 2,205,556

. HATcH Coy/ER Fa-.TENER Filed Feb. 1s. 1959 2 sheets-sheet 2 /l f l Taf 24 Alfd? 2f ff 2f 24 y Iene/fof Patented June 25, 194()V 2,205,556HATCH COVER FASTENER William M. Dwyer, Chicago, Ill., assignor to W. H.

Miner, Inc., Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Dela- Waffe ApplicationFebruary -13, 1,939, SerialNo. 256,027

6 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in hatch cover fasteners forrefrigerator cars.

One object of the invention is to provide a fastener for hinged hatchcovers of refrigerator cars comprising a locking lever arm swinginglysupported adjacent the free edge of the cover adapted to be swung intooverlying relation with respect to said cover to force the same closedand hold it in said closed position, wherein the lever 10 arm alsoserves as means for supporting the cover in partly open position forVentilating purposes.

A more specic object of the invention is to provide in a mechanism asspecified in the preceding paragraph cooperating means on the cover andlever arm for locking the cover to said arm to hold the former invarious positions of partly open condition, together with cooperatinginterengagng means on said cover and arm for accurately supporting thecover so that it may be readily locked in any one of said partly openpositions selected.

Other objects of the invention will more clearly appear from thedescription and claims hereinafter following.

In the drawings forming a part of this specification, Figure l is aplanview of a portion of the roof of a refrigerator car, showing part ofthe usualhatch cover, and illustrating my improvementsin connectiontherewith. Figure 2 is a vertical sectional View, correspondingsubstantially to the line 2-2 of Figure l.l Figure 3 is a view similarto Figure 2, but showing the cover in partly open position and supportedin said position for Ventilating purposes. Figure 4 is a front edgeelevational View of a portion of the lever arm for holding the coverpartly open.

In said drawings, II) indicates a portion of the roof of a refrigeratorcar, I I the usual hatchway, and I2 the hatch cover. As shown, thehatchway is provided with a lining I3 which extends above the roofproper of the car. The cover I2 comprises a substantially at main bodyportion I4 and a projecting plug portion I5 on the inner side thereof.The plug portion I5 is seated in the hatchway I I and the body portionI4 of the cover overlaps the walls of the hatchway when the cover is inclosed position. The cover I2 is swingingly supported in the usualmanner byhinges, not shown, along one edge thereof. This hingedarrangement of the hatch cover is well known in this art as illustratedin Patent No. 2,074,464, granted March 23,1937.

My improved hatch cover fastener comprises (Cl. 292-265) y broadly acombined supporting and locking lever armvA; a pivot bracket B; a latchC for locking the arm A to the cover; and latch means D for locking thecover to the arm to support the cover in partly open position. The leverarm A is in the form of an elongated member having one end section I6thereof bent at an angle to the major portion of the same,

l which major portion is substantially straight.

The bent end section, which is indicated by I6, is To pivoted to thebracket Bas hereinafter pointed out. The outer end portion of saidsection I6 is angularly offset, as indicated at I1. The major portion ofthe straight section of the armI A is of substantially T-shaped crosssection, corn- 1S prising a flat barlike portion I8 and reenforcingflanges forming a web I9 extending along the back edge oisaid bar andprojecting from opposite sides thereof. The web I9 extends from end toend of the arm A and at said bent portion 20 of said arm is providedwith spaced side flanges 2li-20 parallel to the barlike portion I8 andforming side walls on said arm. The side walls 20-20 extend along saidarm to the inner end of said barlike portion I8 and are connected to 25the latter by a transverse wall 2I formed integral therewith. Spacedfrom said transverse wall 2| is a second transverse wall 22, thusproviding a socket 23.

As shown most clearly in Figures 2 and 3, .the `3()v barlike portion I8of the arm A is provided with a plurality of locking bolt receivingopenings 2li- 24 arranged in series lengthwise of said portion. Thebarlike portion I8 Aof the arm A is furtherprovided with a plurality ofribs 25-25 .35 on opposite sides of the same, the ribs at each side ofthe bar being arranged in series lengthwise thereof `and each ribextending substantially transversely of said bar, that is, from the backto the front edge thereof. As shown most clear- 40 1y in Figuresy 1 and4, the ribs of said two series s-.

are arranged in transversely aligned pairs on opposite sidesof the barI8. Each of the ribs 25-25 is inclined with respect to a plane at rightangles to the longitudinal axis of the arm A, the 45 inclination of theribs of said series gradually increasing from the outer tothe inner endof said arm so as to properly align with the' projecting engaging meanson the cover I2 hereinafter de-A scribed. The ribs 25-25 at each side ofthe 50 bar I8 correspond in number to the openings 24, a rib 25 beingdisposed inwardly of each opening.

These ribs are spaced equal distances from the openings 24-24, asclearly shown in Figures 2 and 3, to properly align the 'projectiononthe 55 cover I2, hereinbefore mentioned, with said locking openings24-24. At each opening 24 the bar I8 is preferably increased in width toreenforce the bar at said opening, a series of rounded portions 26-26being thus provided along the front edge of said bar. The bar isswingingly supported on the bracket B, the inner or bent end I6 of saidbar being pivoted to the bracket B by a bolt 2'I, so that the bar may beswung toward and away from the cover I 2 and into overlying relationwith respect to the same. 1

'I'he latch plate C comprises a sliding latch bolt 28 mounted on abracket 29 fixed to the top of the hatch cover I2. The bracket 29comprises a base portion having upstanding spaced lugs 30-30 betweenwhich the barlike portion I8 of the lever arm A is adapted to engage,the lugs being provided with aligned openings through which the bolt 28may be projectedqto engage through one of the openings 24 of the arm Ato lock the same to the cover I2 and hold the latter in closed position.'Ihe closed position is shown in Figures 1 and 2 and as thus illustratedthe locking bolt 28 is engaged through the third opening from the freeend of the lever arm A. Any suitable means may be provided for slidablyguiding the bolt, the latter being preferably provided with a laterallyenlarged slotted section 3| through the slot of which extends anupstanding guide post 32 mounted on the bracket 29. As shown, the outerend of the bolt 28 is preferably hooked, as indicated at 33, to providea convenient gripping portion for manipulating the same.

The latch means D comprises a sliding bolt 34 mounted on a bracket 35secured to the cover I2 at the free edge thereof. As shown in Figures 2and 3, the base of the bracket is in the form of an angular plate havingthe angularly disposed sections thereof secured respectively to the topand the end edge of the cover I2. An outstanding forked lug 36 isprovided on the bracket 35, the forked portion of the lug being adaptedto receive the bar portion I8 of the arm A therebetween. The arms ofsaid forked portion are perforated to receive the locking bolt 34 inorder to lock the cover I2 to the arm Ay and hold the latter in partlyopen position as shown in Figure 3. The bolt 34 is guided for slidingmovement by an outstanding post 31 engaging inl an elongated slotprovided in the rear end portion of said bolt. This guide means issimilar to the post and slot guide means 32-3I shown in Figure 1 andoperates in a similar manner, and therefore needs no further detaileddescription.

The lug 36 also serves as an abutment with which a dog 38 pivoted on thelever arm A engages when said arm is swung on its pivot to pry the coveropen. This particular mechanism, last named, and the operation thereofis old and well-known in this art, as disclosed in Patent No. 2,074,464hereinbefore referred to.

In forcing the cover closed, the lever arm A is folded over the coverand pressed downwardly in a manner described in said patent, an abutmentblock 39 fixed within the socket 23 engaging the upper side of the coverI2 to force the same downwardly as the lever A is depressed.

To adjust the hatch cover I2 for Ventilating purposes, the same islifted to approximately the height desired and the lever arm A swung ina direction toward the cover so as to engage the proper pair oftransversely aligned ribs 25-25 of the arm beneath the forked lug 36 ofsaid cover in supporting relation to said lug. The perforations in thearms of the fork of the lug 36 being thus brought into alignment withthe corresponding opening 25 of the arm A, the cover is locked in saidposition by the sliding bolt 34.

In Figure 3 the lug 36 is shown as supported by the outermost pair ofribs 25-25 on the arm A and the locking bolt 34 engaged through theperforations of said lug and the outermost recess 24 of the series. Thecover is thus held in the maximum open position in which it may belocked for Ventilating purposes. As will be evident, the plurality ofopenings 24-24 in the arm A and the cooperating supporting ribs 25-25which form shelves to support the lug on the cover I2, provide foradjustment of the cover within relatively wide limits for Ventilatingpurposes, thereby meeting all possible conditions encountered in railwaypractice.

I have herein shown and described what I now consider the preferredmanner of carrying out my invention, but the same is merely illustrativeand I contemplate all changes and modifications that come within thescope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

l. In a fastener for hinged hatch covers of refrigerator cars, thecombination with a lug projecting from the free edge of the cover; of anarm swingingly mounted on a fixed support and having means thereonengageable with said lug for prying the cover open, said arm having aplurality of supporting ribs thereon, said ribs extending transverselyof the arm and being ar ranged in series lengthwise of the arm, saidribs of said series being spaced apart lengthwise of said arm toaccommodate said lug therebetween and serving as supports for said lugto hold the cover in different adjustments of partly open position.

2. In a fastener for hinged hatch covers of refrigerator cars, thecombination with an upstanding perforated lug on the top of said coverspaced inwardly from the edge thereof; of a perforated lug extendingfrom the free edge of said cover; a swinging arm pivoted to a fixedsupport adjacent the free edge of the cover, said arm having a series ofopenings arranged lengthwise thereof, said arm being foldable over thecover to force said cover to closed position and hold the same in saidposition; a latch bolt engageable through said upstanding lug and one ofthe openv ings of said series to lock the cover in closed position; asupport for said latch bolt on which the same is slidably guided inalignment with the perforation of said upstanding lug; and meansengageable through said perforated lug and one of said openings of saidseries to lock said cover in partly open position for Ventilatingpurposes.

3. In a fastener for hinged hatch covers for refrigerator cars, thecombination with an outstanding lug on the free edge of said cover; ofan arm pivotally mounted on a xed support adjacent said free edge, saidarm having a pluralityof transverse, longitudinally spaced supportingribs projecting from one side thereof on any one of which said lug maybe supported, and a latch receiving opening extending through said armadjacent each projecting rib adapted to align with the perforation ofsaid lug when the latter is supported by the corresponding rib; and asliding latch bolt engageable through said perforation of the lug andthealigned opening of the arm to lock said arm to the cover insupporting relation.

4. In a fastener for hinged hatch covers for refrigerator cars, thecombination with an arm swingingly supported adjacent the free edge ofthe cover; of a plurality of transversely disposed, projecting ribs onone side of said arm providing supporting shelves, said shelves beingarranged in series lengthwise of said arm, said arzn having an openingadjacent each shelf; a lug on said cover adapted to be engaged with andsupported by any one of said shelves; and latch means engageable throughsaid lug and the opening adjacent the shelf on which said lug issupported for locking the cover to said arm.

5. In a fastener for hinged hatch covers for refrigerator cars,kthecombination with an upstanding supporting arm adjacent the free edge ofsaid cover, said arm having a plurality of openings therethrougharranged in series lengthwise of said arm; of a transversely alignedpair of supporting shelves on said arm below each opening, the shelvesof said pair projecting from opposite sides of said arm; a lug on thefree edge of said cover engageable with any one of said pairs ofsupporting shelves to be supported thereon, said lug having a boltreceiving opening therethrough; and a locking bolt engageable throughthe opening of said lug and the opening in said varm above the shelveson which said lug is supported for locking the cover to said support.

6. In a fastener for hinged hatch covers for refrigerator cars, thecombination with an upstanding supporting arm adjacent the free edge ofsaid cover, said arm having a plurality of bolt receiving openingstherethrough arranged in series lengthwise of the arm; of a set ofsupporting shelves on opposite sides of said arm below each openingthereof, said shelves being a1'- ranged in transversely aligned pairs; aforked lug on the free edge of said cover adapted to embrace said arm,said forked lug being engageable with any one ofl said pairs ofsupporting shelves and resting thereon, the members of the fork of saidlug having aligned bolt receiving openings; and a latch bolt engageablethrough said openings of the fork and the opening of said armimmediately above the pair of shelves on which the forked lug issupported for locking the cover to said arm.

WILLIAM M. DWYER.

D l s c L A l' M E R 2,205,556.Willam M. Dwyer, Chicago, 111. HATCHCOVER FASTENER. Patent dated June 25, 1940. Disclaimer led September 7,1942, by the assignee,

W. H. Miner, Ine. Hereby enters this disclaimer to claims 3 and 4 ofsaid patent.

[Oficial Gazette Octobev1 13, 1942.]

